Strawberry Love - chapter 1
by Miss Lamb
Summary: When Meiling's heart is broken, who comes to mend the wounds? Shoujo-ai.



    **STRAWBERRY LOVE**
    
    
    * * *
    
    
    NB: This is a Tomoyo x Meiling shoujo-ai fic. There's no citrus, but it does have
    suggestions. If this does not cater to your tastes, then by all means, don't read it.
    All flames are fed to my flock of wild sheep, because we don't believe in homophobia.
    Waeijiten (Japanese-English dictionary) is at the end of the last chapter (4).
    - Miss Lamb
    
    
    * * *
    
    
    CHAPTER 1
    Rejected. Immature. Lonely.
    That's all I've ever been: a nuisance to everybody. The annoying little Chinese girl. Yeah,
    the one with the high-pitched voice, the dango hairstyle, the greening envy. That's me. The
    one named Meiling.
    I was born into the Li family, a family that boasts magical ancestry and undying competitive
    characteristics. But I don't have any magic in my blood, a rare occurence. That's what makes
    me so different, that's what gave them a reason to label me an "outcast."
    I was forced to study martial arts with Syaoran, my cousin, and his servant Wei to make up for
    the lack of paranormal ability. It seemed, to me at least, that no matter how hard I tried,
    Syaoran was always better than I. I spat blood and ripped flesh to get to the top, but it was
    never to be. Was I condemned my whole life to be a failure? To be a secondary character?
    I always believed he was far too serious, that Syaoran. He cared only about being the best,
    and he would do anything to retain that title. At times, I believed he cared only about
    himself and nothing else. That is, until the day I lost the precious bird Auntie gave me for
    my birthday that spring. I was crying on the porch when he returned from practice. He came
    running up to me and asked me why I was crying. I told him what had happened, and then, as if
    possessed, he turned around and went looking for it.
    I stood looking out the window of our house for hours, and it started to pour. I became
    worried, not for the bird (we could always get another one), but for my cousin. What if he
    was injured? What if he was in some isolated area and no one could hear him wailing for help?
    What if he got lost? The thoughts raced through my mind in panic, and I began to cry again.
    But there he was. He was running to our house through the rain. He was soaked, but as he had
    promised, he returned the bird to me. Once again, the tears streamed down my face and I
    sobbed on his wet shirt until I grew tired and weary. But from that day on, Syaoran was my
    hero, my one true love. So I told him this, through his stern and emotionless face, and vowed
    to him that until he met the girl of his dreams, I was to be his wife.
    "Umm... thanks for getting back the bird," I said sheepishly.
    Syaoran grunted.
    "But don't you notice anything different," I mumbled, "about me?"
    He sipped his tea and continued reading.
    "Syaoran!" I cried, jumping up from my seat, "Syaoran! I love you!"
    He looked up at me, surprised.
    "Syaoran, I've decided that I want to marry you!" He seemed embarrassed that I'd mentioned
    such a thing. Sensing his tension, I made him a deal. "Tell you what, if you find a girl
    you really and truly love, then so be it. But until that day, I'm your future wife!"
    He stared at me, looking a bit paranoid, but at the same time, a bit amused. "Okay, fine."
    Then he continued sipping his tea, as though nothing had happened.
    And so, we were engaged... Until he left...
    As if out of the blue, he told us one day that he was leaving for Japan. He insisted that it
    was for the Clow Cards, Clow being a distant relative of ours who happened to be a sorceror.
    Clow created many shikigami and contained them in card form, much like the Tarot (which he
    happened to have a great appreciation for). The cards somehow made their way from China to
    Japan, and the shikigami had been let loose. Syaoran felt that this was his calling, and so,
    he set off.
    Being the only thing that truly mattered to me, I convinced the family to let me follow him.
    And in time, I made my way to Tomoeda, Japan...
    * * * * *
    Continued in chapter 2.
    


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